DATE=3/29/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / POLITICS (L)
NUMBER=2-260730
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russian lawmakers have rejected a Communist Party
move to strip former President Boris Yeltsin of his
immunity from prosecution. Moscow Correspondent Eve
Conant reports the vote underscores how Russia's
Communists have lost their dominance in the
parliament.
TEXT: Only 136-lawmakers in Russia's parliament voted
in favor of asking the Constitutional Court to review
the legality of a decree granting legal immunity and
various personal privileges to Boris Yeltsin. The
total of "yes" votes was 90-votes short of the 226
needed to pass the motion.
Acting President Vladimir Putin signed the immunity
decree New Year's Eve, hours after President Yeltsin's
surprise resignation. Critics speculated Mr. Yeltsin
had stepped down because of ongoing investigations
into allegations of corruption in the Kremlin
administration.
The Communists demanded the former president be held
accountable for Russia's economic decline and rampant
corruption. The appeal was also seen as a direct
challenge to Mr. Putin's authority. The Communists
made it the first item on their agenda for the new
legislative session.
But lawmakers dismissed the motion (Wednesday).
Opponents such as lawmaker Alexei Mitrofanov called it
an act of revenge against President-Elect Vladimir
Putin for defeating Communist challenger Gennady
Zyuganov in this week's presidential election.
/// ACT MITROFANOV IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE ///
He says - This was aimed not at Mr. Yeltsin, but at
President-elect Putin. He was the one who signed this
decree and this is the start of the political struggle
against him.
Liberal lawmaker and former Prime Minister in the
Yeltsin regime, Sergey Kirienko, called the appeal
humiliating and mean.
/// ACT KIRIENKO IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER ///
He says - if you respect the state then you should
respect its President, especially the former one. You
can only argue with a president while he is in his
post, it is impossible to do it now.
/// OPT /// Liberal lawmaker Sergey Yushenkov also
condemned the move.
/// ACT YUSHENKOV IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE ///
He says - this is simply a political act by a party
that just lost in the presidential elections. It is
the Communists attempt at revenge on Boris Yeltsin and
also on Vladimir Putin. /// END OPT ///
The vote illustrates how the Communists have lost
control of the lower-house of parliament. Elections
last December shifted the balance of power in
parliament towards pro-Kremlin parties and away from
traditional Communist dominance.
The parliament majority is 226-votes; the Communists
have fewer than 100-lawmakers. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/GE/RAE
29-Mar-2000 10:54 AM EDT (29-Mar-2000 1554 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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